A Father's Approval
by Lauriofthepen
Summary: Mel's reaction to finding out that Cher and Josh's relationship has changed.


Mel let himself into the house through the door between the garage and kitchen. He had been away hammering out the settlement on the case that had occupied them all for so long. He could hear the TV on in the next room. It appeared to be a biography on the Supreme Court justices. Josh must be over. He wondered where Cher was. She hadn't fooled him a couple weeks ago about the "boy who made her feel bad about her after school activities." Of course, Josh offering to "chaperone" her date to that party hadn't fooled him either. But then what boy wouldn't want to date his beautiful daughter? Coming around the corner, he could see a blonde head on the sofa. He saw Cher reach over and feed Josh some popcorn. Josh smiled and continued to play with her hair. He had thought for awhile that they could balance each other and be good together.

"Hi kids!" He watched as the two moved to opposite ends of the sofa. "What are you watching?"

"A documentary on Sandra Day O'Conner."

"She really needs to find a something to accent the black robe."

"You are so superficial, perhaps she cares about something other than how she looks."

The argument would have been more convincing if their ankles hadn't still been stacked together.

"I'm going to go to my study for awhile." Mel was careful to leave his door open as he wanted to silently observe them. At least it was Josh. That kid, Murray, that Deon dated gave him the hives. His daughter had always said she didn't want to care and maintain a high school boy. He had just hoped she actually would be in college before she realized college boys were out there. Or rather that those college boys were in here.

"You have to quit looking at me like that in front of my father!"

"You have to quit looking so adorable besides you were really cool about the whole thing."

"I was, wasn't I? Maybe I should become a lawyer, like Daddy."

"The world won't know what hit them."

Mel listened to them giggle. He was a little concerned that they thought they might sneak around him. Josh had never done anything to betray his trust before, still it wouldn't hurt…..

"Josh, come here for a second."

"Yes, Mel?"

"Is there something you would like to tell me about you and my daughter?"

"I didn't mean for anything to happen between the two of us – she's practically my sister! Except – "

"She's not your sister."

"Yeah. You were gone one night, and we were working on the case. Cher sorted them into the wrong piles. Logan said that if I hadn't been flirting with the dumb kid then she wouldn't have been bothering him."

"Logan said that? I will have a talk with him tomorrow."

"Any way, I told her she wasn't a dumb kid. I realized she's really not, and then I was seeing her in a new light."

"Josh, I love both of you. You're the son I never had. However, let me be perfectly clear – I will not tolerate the two of you sneaking around me. You two will be staying out of each other's bedrooms, as well. If I ever catch the two of you doing either of those or you disrepect my daughter in anyway, you'll wish you were in Logan's shoes tomorrow. Do I make myself clear?"

"Absolutely, sir."

Later after Josh had returned to his dorm, Mel called, "Cher, get in here."

Cher skidded into the room wearing fluffy pink slippers and a pink satin nightshirt, "Yes, Daddy?"

"Cher, I want to talk to you about Josh."

"What about him, Daddy?" Cher asked with wide-eyed innocence.

"I saw the two of you watching TV today," Mel paused to see if Cher would offer an explanation. When none was offered, he continued, "You two seemed to be getting along better now."

"I guess we came to a truce while you were gone." Cher gave a smile her father was afraid he understood.

"Josh told me about your truce."

"What did he say, Daddy?"

"Why don't you tell me what you think he said?"

"Did he tell you how Logan yelled at me?" He could see Cher trying to feel out which way to take. He was frustrated and proud of her. Proud that she was using the skills he had taught her, and frustrated that she wouldn't give him a straight answser about how involved they were.

"He mentioned it."

"We were talking afterwards, and I don't know I kissed him. Then he kissed me."

"Did you want him to kiss you?"

"Yes."

"Before he kissed you?"

"Since Tai wanted me to fix the two of them up."

"Did you not want Tai to have a boyfriend since you didn't?"  
"No, I didn't want her to have Josh. She wouldn't get that he needs someone to laugh at his jokes, help him dress like a lawyer, and listen when his mother and step-father bug him."

"You care about him?"

Cher nodded quickly, "I want to make him happy."

"You won't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable to make him happy, right?" Mel wasn't quite sure how he wanted to bring up sex with Cher.

"Josh would never do anything like that!"

"Probably not, and you know that you are my daughter. I love Josh, but I will always protect you."

Cher nodded, "I love you, Daddy."

"Okay, well you should be getting to bed. Don't you have a test tomorrow?"


End file.
